The gluten-free food market earns revenue of $4.2 billion this year. The figure indicates huge growth in the market for gluten-free food. According to a report by Packaged Facts, the market has seen a growth of 28 percent between 2008 and 2012.
Granola bars are reportedly leading the growth, contributing 15 percent to the total sale. The revenue is likely to touch a figure larger than $6.6 billion by 2017.
"The conviction that gluten-free products are generally healthier is the top motivation for purchase of these products," said David Sprinkle, research director at Packaged Facts, according to a press release in Market Wire.
Compared to a 15 percent rise in October 2010, August 2012 saw 18 percent rise in adults buying food labeled as 'gluten-free'.
Gluten is a protein composite found in many food grains, including wheat, rye and barley. A rising number of people have begun to avoid food products with gluten for fear of their digestion being affected. According to the Los Angeles Times, fans of a paleo-diet avoid grains with gluten as they believe that they are unnatural.
Many have also taken to eating gluten-free food as a way of avoiding putting on weight, especially since it is endorsed by Miley Cyrus, singer and actress. Health experts however disagree with Cyrus on the benefits of eating a gluten-free diet to reduce weight.
Gluten-free food was first made for those diagnosed with Celiac disease, a condition wherein they are gluten-intolerant. The protein hinders their digestion process.
Reports reveal that Celiac disease is on the rise in the U.S. According to USA Today, one in 133 people in the U.S suffer from Celiac's. This could be because of, the report adds, increased sanitation and higher gluten content in grains today. Our immune system is not developed enough, thanks to over-cleanliness.
"There are a lot of people on a gluten-free diet, and it's not clear what the medical need for that is," study researcher Dr. Joseph Murray, who is a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, said in a statement, on mayoclinic.org. "It is important if someone thinks they might have celiac disease that they be tested first before they go on the diet."
Further, though 1.8 million people in the U.S are thought to have Celiac disease, 1.4 million of them are probably unaware of it. Meanwhile, 1.6 million are on a gluten-free diet without having been diagnosed with the disease, reports the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
